Return
by riawolf
Summary: The long-awaited sequel to X's and O's! Ria leaves the team and runs away for seven years. The title gives away whatever else happens...
1. One

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans **

_**Sequel to X's and O's: **_

**Return**

**Authors note: I decided to continue with the _X's and O's_ ideas. I don't know exactly where it's going to go, but I'll try to make it go somewhere eventually. I left a lot of questions unanswered at the end of _X's and O's_, so I will answer them here for those of you who are curious... Here I go. There might end up being a new character in it too. I don't know though so don't get your hopes up too high… It depends on where I go with this.**

It had been seven years since she had left the Titans. It was a none too happy ending as well. One day, they had gone out to stop some sort of crime, which didn't seem too important with her life in the balance. They had come back to find that she was gone. The bed had lain empty with her gone. All they had found was a simple note on the pillow. It had read: _"I cannot stay any longer. I am a threat to you and everyone in this city. Even to myself. I am sorry. This is for the best. Please… do not follow."_ Robin had barely finished reading the note aloud when the alarm began buzzing.

Later, the Titans found themselves on the outskirts of the city, where they had first met Terra. What they met was not a new sight. Slade had her cornered. A gun was being raised in her direction. But the Titans acted quickly to save her. She got away while the fight raged on. There was nothing they could do to stop her. What had happened next was shocking and unexpected. A shot was fired and she had fallen to the ground. That was the last the Titans had seen of her. The only thing they found where she had fallen was her communicator.

**Author's note: I know, it's a short chapter. But I had to start it this way so you all have some idea what happened after Ria was poisoned. Review to let me know what you think of this story. I must know!**


	2. Two

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans. **

**(Except for Ria, she is my character creation! **

**She's really not Slade's creation. I made her up.)**

**Sequel to X's and O's**

**Return**

_I left the Titans, my friends, and traveled the land south of the city. It was hard and tough on my already suffering body. I continually felt the effect of the poison. The shot to my right leg did not help at all. _

_After a few weeks of travel, I came across a town in the distance. I proceeded with caution. I needed to get help from someone there to remove the bullet from my wound. I did not want to be recognized so I changed my form. I made it about as far as I could, which was the side of a road. It was there that I collapsed out of sheer exhaustion. I thought to myself: This is where it will all end. I am happy._

_Then, a voice out of nowhere said,_ "Oh my! What happened here!"

"It's a doggie, mommy."

"Sonny, don't touch it. It could bite you."

"I think it's hurt, mommy. On it's leg."

"What… oh… Sonny, go down to Doc Vet's and ask him to come down here okay?"

"Yes, mommy."

_I heard a set of feet run away. A little later, more feet came back. _

"What's going on Mrs. Born … I see … I better bring him back to my office. This looks pretty bad."

"What happened to him, the poor thing?"

"It looks like he was shot in the right hind leg. I'll see what I can do."

_Then, I was lifted and taken to who knows where. _

_The last thing I remembered was a boy's voice saying,_ "The doggie will be okay, right, mommy?"

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"Shush… she's waking up…"

_I open my eyes. There was a group of people staring down at me from where I lay on a bed. I try to sit up but a man holds me down and he says, _"Stay down. You shouldn't try to sit up. You just came out of surgery, girl."_ He says this because I am still in my wolf form. They do not know the real me. _

_I glance down towards my leg, the right one. The leg that nearly killed me; the one with the new cast on it. They healed me… Why? Oh yes, I came to this town to get help. What about the voices from before? They were the ones who got me the help I needed. I must find some way to thank them for their kindness. It was kindness, which I did nothing to deserve. _

_I try to get up again, and the people in the room restrain me. They do not want me to walk on my leg. I suppose they are right. But I cannot stay here. I must keep moving, but then again I need to heal. All right, I will stay until I can walk._

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Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. I am trying to write five stories including this one, all at the same time. I'm attempting to do them in some form of sequence. Bare with me please… Anyway, I thought that I might add in a chapter from Ria's perspective. I know it's short, but I got stuck. The next chapter will feature the Titans, I PROMISE! Until next time! SEE YA!


	3. Three

Disclaimer: The only character I own in this story is basically Ria, and maybe any of the friends she makes in the town that rescued her…

Sequel to X's and O's

Return

... Seven Years later…

_I look up into his masked face… The taste of blood… red blood…_

_Master's single visible eye narrows in anger… his blood simmering…_

_"You did not do as I asked. For this you shall pay…"_

_The glint of Slade's knife as he pulls out a knife hidden within his belt…_

_"Apprentice! STOP! Where are you going? Stand and fight!"…_

_Master rises from his chair and walks toward me…_

_I turn and…_

_"Her name is Ria. And she is my creation."_

_"What do you mean creation? What is this girl! What are you planning!"_

_"You will find out soon enough"…_

_A sharp pain from just below my ribs as Slade slid in the extended knife…_

_'You can be free… You don't need him…'_

_The green boy's blood?_

_"Ria… I love you…"_

… _Some of it drips down my leg and leaves a dark trail of dots along the ground… But it is more than just on my leg… it is spreading…_

_Red X stares at me as I look at my blood stained left hand… _

_Master stands over me. My blood is on my hand… _

_"I am sorry… I cannot trust anyone anymore. Not even myself."…_

_Master pushes my head into the dust…_

_"Ria, you've got to let me help you—_

_I open my eyes to the dark room with Master sitting in his chair. I rise up and sit on the edge of the table. I know what is coming. _

_"Let us test her… to see what she can do." All shall die. _

_They try to run. I catch the first and see the look of horror on his face as I sink my fangs into his vulnerable throat. I taste his warm blood gush into my mouth and run down my snout. Then I begin to rip and tear through his flesh as he gurgles a scream… The adrenaline rushes through my body as I devour his flesh. It takes me a while to find his throat. And when I do, I hold on tight. His body jerks and thrashes until suddenly, it stops. He is dead. I let out a savage howl over the body of the dead man with blood running through my black coat---_

I awake with a start from my nightmare. The boy, Sonny, is staring at me. Apparently, I have woken him up as well. I must have been howling.

"What's wrong, Kira? Bad dream?" Sonny speaks to me. Kira has been my name here. Sonny and his mother have adopted me. They have taken me in. And they still have no idea who I really am. Sonny sits next to me on his bed, "I get bad dreams, too. Mommy says that everyone does once in a while. She tells me that you just have to say that it's just a dream."

As he speaks, Sonny strokes the top of my head. I have found this oddly comforting. I believe that I have done the same sort of thing for him when he has been scared or sad, except I lick his hand or face. I do not wish to expose myself to him and his family.

I wish that I could believe him, but I do not know if this is more than just a dream. They are memories of horrifying times. Times that I do not like to remember. Times that I wish I could forget. Sonny and his family could and never will understand what I have been through. I could never tell them anyway.

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…Somewhere back in Jump City…

A blinking light on a widescreen computer in his lair caught Slade's attention. _'Seven years is long enough…'_ he thought.

"It's time for a little reunion…"


	4. Four

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans…

**Haven't I said this before about a billion times already?**

**Sequel to X's and O's**

**Return**

"Just a few final touches…" Cyborg was putting some final touches to his latest invention. He hadn't told any of the other Titans what he was working on, especially Beastboy. He had been very staunch in making sure it stayed that way until he was finished. He liked being mysterious sometimes.

Currently, Cyborg had a tiny (the emphasis on tiny) computer chip held in a pair of tweezers so his large mechanical fingers wouldn't break it. But just as he was going to place the delicate piece of hard ware into its slot:

"HEY CYBORG!" the voice of Beastboy blared so much against the mechanics of the speakers that there was some annoying feedback: the noise that the speaker when the volume is up too loud. Not only that, but the sudden noise caused Cyborg to fling the tweezers up into the air. As a result, the delicate chip shattered against the ceiling. The pieces of the chip rained down on Cyborg who screamed so loudly, it shook the entire tower, "AAAAAGH! BEASTBOY!"

"ROBIN SAYS GET UP HERE NOW!"

"Can't it wait!" But Beastboy had already turned off the microphone. Exasperated, Cyborg mumbled to himself angrily on the way upstairs, "Spiky haired freak…always interrupting…"

When he got to the door of the common room, he literally punched the button on the wall nearby. The door slammed open with the force of Cyborg's hand, _'Gonna need to fix that… maybe later…'_

All the other Titans turned around at Cyborg's "dramatic" entrance.

"What's your problem?" –Robin.

"Why must you feel the need to interrupt? I'm right in the middle of—

"Ria's back…" –Beastboy

"Must you—WHAT? How do you know?" –Cyborg

"Don't you remember? Ever since she left seven years ago, we set up some surveillance cameras around the city. Just in case." –Robin

Raven glanced over towards Beastboy, who seemed to be in his own little world, staring off into space, which was highly unusual for him. She felt a spark of interest, or concern maybe, for her friend. _'I wonder what he's feeling right now? Betrayal perhaps? Whatever it is, his facial expression hides it really well.'_

"Everything okay?" She voiced in a hushed tone to Beastboy.

"Why would she come back? Maybe--"

"Maybe, what?"

"Maybe she was safer out there. Away from Slade…"

"Let's go team. We should try to find Ria before Slade does." –Robin

"What if she does not wish to be found?" –Starfire

"She'll come back with us whether she wants to or not. She'll be safer with us than out on the streets alone. That's just asking Slade to attack." –Robin

"And if he decides to, we might as well be there to help Ria out." –Cyborg

"You are right friends. I have been sick with the worry over our friend, Ria's, condition since we parted." –Starfire

"Right. It's good that she's still alive, but the poison may be slowly killing her off." –Raven

"Titans, go!" –Robin

Throughout this entire conversation, Beastboy did not say anything. He hesitated before leaving the Tower with the rest of his friends.

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**Author's note: Sorry everyone! I have been traveling for the past few months. (Italy analyzing 4 Shakespeare plays, specifically… but you didn't really have to know that…) While I was away, I wrote (in my free time) of course! So the next few chapters will be what I have written in Italy. The other stories I am working on will have to wait for a while. This is the main work I have been trying to finish while on my trips abroad. Enjoy! I am happy to have a computer that has Microsoft Word! Yay!**


	5. Five

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans…

I wish that there was some other way to type this.

Writing it this way is just… boring!

**Sequel to X's and O's **

**Return**

_How did they know I was here? They couldn't have! I would run, but they would follow. I do not want the Titan's help, not anymore…_

_I have been able to get away from my former friends by becoming invisible. They search the area frantically for me. I am concealed in the darkness of a nearby alley._

_Suddenly, I am grasped from behind and a hand covers my mouth. I am brought further down the alley by my captor. I wrestle free and confront a dark shape in front of me, _"What do you want?"

"To talk." _Beastboy steps forward into the light._

"I do not want to talk."

"Why did you run away?"

"I had to."

"That's not a good enough answer, Ria."

"I could no longer stay here."

"Then, why did you come back?"

_I turn away from him, but I still feel his eyes burning into the back of my head. I wish he wouldn't do that._

_I cannot tell him why I have returned to this cursed city. When Slade found me… what he did…_

_Before I can say or do anything, Beastboy has grabbed my hand and begins to pull me towards the street, _"You're coming with us! Whether you want to or not!"

"No!" _I say, while pulling my hand free._

"Why not?"

"Because, I—I am not sure how I can explain…"

"Try me."

"Because she is on my side now." _And Slade emerged from the darkness beside Beastboy, startling him._

"No… Liar!"

_I turn away from them._

"Ria, how can you do this?"

"Because I control her."

'_I am sorry, Beastboy. Slade has tricked me. He took advantage of my friendship with Sonny. I cannot bear to think of what might have happened to the boy if I had refused. From the moment I was adopted by Sonny's family, I knew I should have run away the first chance I got. But they had been kind by saving my life. How could I have repaid them otherwise than to save theirs?'_

_I disappeared through the wall of a nearby building while Slade was not watching. He was paying more attention to Beastboy anyway._

"Apprentice! Come back!" _I guess he noticed._

_The name cut into my soul a thousand times like a thousand knives. Very long and sharp ones too. But I have an idea. Slade did not create me without a working human mind. Besides, being on the run for seven years, one learns certain things…_

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"But why would she join up with Slade again after what he's tried to do to her? It doesn't make any sense…" –Robin

"It doesn't have to make sense. All that matters now is that Ria will be working for Slade." –Raven

"I saw the look on her face while I was talking to her! She hates Slade and doesn't want to work as his apprentice." –Beastboy

"We cannot just give up on our friend. We must help." –Starfire

"Ever think that maybe she doesn't want to be helped?" This simple question from Raven brought a moment of silent thought to the Titans Tower common room.

Cyborg broke it with a simple thought, "That could be true… But how on earth did Slade manage to get Ria under his control again? The last time she was controlled by a collar."

"Knowing Slade, he probably found some under-handed way of doing it." Robin said bitterly.

"I wish we could get some answers…" –Beastboy

Suddenly, the alarm in the Tower started wailing. "Looks like we have company guys." Cyborg indicated the monitor, where the image of a large white dog appeared. It was sitting in front of Titans Tower.

"How did that dog get here?" –Cyborg

"That's not a dog, that's a wolf." –Raven

"But why is it here?" –Robin

"At least it is not Slade or another enemy." Starfire took a closer look at the image on the screen, "It does not appear to be Ria, for she is a black dog."

"Then what is it doing here?" –Cyborg

"Maybe we could go and find out." –Beastboy

"How do you propose we do that? We can't just talk to it, you know." –Raven

"It wouldn't hurt to check it out, Raven." –Robin

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...Outside the Tower...

"We should be careful, guys. We don't want to scare it away." –Robin

"It looks like it's waiting for something… or someone…" –Beastboy

"But why here? There's only…us…" –Cyborg

The Titans stared at one another. They were all thinking the same thing: Did someone send it here? To them?

The white wolf, who had not seemed impressed at the sight of the Teen Titans at all, blinked once in impatience. It stood up, and approached the Titans.

"Why does it come toward us?" –Starfire

"Do you think it came to see us?" –Cyborg

"There's something tied to its neck." Raven pointed out.

The wolf stopped a few feet in front of Robin and blinked twice. But what was really strange, the wolf seemed to nod to Robin to come forward. Cautiously, Robin knelt to untie the cord around the wolf's neck.

"Should I—?"

The wolf blinked and cocked its head to the left as if to say, "Of course! Why else would I let you stand right next to me?"

Taking that as a yes, Robin untied the cord, and a folded piece of paper with it. Once Robin finished with the cord, the white wolf turned and seemed to melt into the surrounding landscape as it walked away.

"Well, that was strange." –Robin

"Why did the dog come to see us? And why did it leave so soon?" –Starfire

"I guess he was supposed to give us this note." Robin held up the note for his friends to see.

"Who's it from, and what does it say?" –Cyborg

Robin unfolded the note and noticed that it was more than just one sheet of paper, "It's kind of long… Are you sure you want me to read it aloud?"

"Yes, please, Robin." –Starfire

"Yeah, what does it say?" –Cyborg

At the urging of his friends, Robin began to read the note aloud. It read…


	6. Six

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans…

I wish that there was some other way to type this.

Writing it this way is just… boring!

**Sequel to X's and O's **

**Return**

At the urging of his friends, Robin began to read the note aloud. It read…

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_'I shall have to make my explanation as brief as possible, for he may return soon and discover my plan. You all know that I left this city seven years ago. And when I did, Slade again tried to kill me, but he only wounded me. I managed to survive by making it to a city in the south. There, a boy named Sonny and his mother found me on death's edge. They saved me by having the bullet removed by an animal doctor._

_'Once I was healed, Sonny and his mother had become so attached to my 'dog' form that they had decided to adopt me into their two-person family. I stayed with them these past seven years, even though I had originally decided to stay in the town until I healed; then, I would have continued my wandering. To this day, I do not understand why I stayed with them._

_'It wasn't until recently that Slade found out I was being given a home there. He attacked the village, but not specifically Sonny's home. Someone from the village must have told him that's where I was because Slade then stormed the house. I could not run or escape without revealing myself to Sonny, who is only about ten years old, who still believes I am a dog._

_'I tried to protect Sonny. I really tried. But Slade noticed my care of him and used that against me. First, he forced me to reveal my true form to the boy, which was shocking in and of it-self. Then, he would have killed me but for Sonny. The boy tried attacking Slade himself, but soon proved useless. Sonny was captured. Slade then threatened Sonny's life. He said that if I came back to him he would spare the boy. I had no choice…'_

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The letter wasn't signed, but it had no need to be. The Titans all knew that it was Ria who sent it, courtesy of a white wolf.

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"You did well to return to me, Ria."

No response from Ria.

"Your only mistake, however, was disobeying your orders."

Still no response from Ria.

"This is why you are being punished."

Ria whispered, "You disgust me…"

"Now, now, Ria… Don't talk back to your master. You wouldn't want any harm to come to your little friend, now, would you?"

"You would not—

"Oh, of course, I would, and you know it… Who would stop me? Not you or the Titans. They don't know with whom you spent the last seven years living with, do they?"

"I doubt that…"

"Give it a rest, Ria… Your insubstantial ability can't get you out of this cage or the new collar."

_'I hate you… You may be my creator but you do not rule me…'_

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"Well, at least we know what happened, and why she's back with Slade again." –Cyborg

"What if we went to talk to this kid, Sonny. Maybe he would be able to help." –Robin

"Yes! Excellent idea, Robin! This Sonny is perhaps the only one who has befriended Ria since she left us." –Starfire

"Okay, team. This is the best idea we have. Cyborg, Starfire, and Raven will find and talk to the kid. Beastboy and I will stay here and find Ria and Slade."


	7. Seven

**Disclaimer: I do not own them! (The Teen Titans, that is…)**

**Sequel to X's and O's**

**Return**

Somewhere to the South…

"How are we even going to find this kid? We don't even know what he looks like!" Cyborg had been complaining for the last few hours.

"Easy. His hometown is half-destroyed by Slade's army." Raven stated simply.

"Who knew that Slade could be so… cruel and…. bloodthirsty?"

Cyborg automatically raised his hand in answer to Starfire's question.

"Cyborg, it was a rhetorical question." Cyborg slowly lowered his hand at Raven's blunt statement.

Cyborg, Raven, and Starfire had finally arrived, via the T-car, in what they assumed was the village Ria had lived with the boy named Sonny. As of now, most of what appeared to have been a quaint little town was now mostly in ruins. There were quite a few villagers around trying to pull the remains of the town together in order to rebuild. Grimy children and a few dogs could be seen climbing over the rubble with their families, searching for valuables. At one point, Starfire thought she saw a white dog among them.

"So… which one of them is this boy… Sonny, was it?" Starfire asked as she stepped from the car.

"Spare change?" A homeless man, who appeared almost out of nowhere, held up a paper cup to the three Titans. Cyborg reached into the glove compartment and placed some change into the cup.

"You wouldn't by any chance know a boy named Sonny, would you?" Raven asked the man before he could walk away.

"Gina's kid?"

"Gina? Who's Gina?" Cyborg looked confused.

"Gina. Gina Born. Sonny Born's mother."

"Oh, I get it… Do you know where we can find her?"

"Who? Gina? Haven't seen her since the attack."

"Well, do you know where we can find Sonny then?" Raven was getting impatient, Cyborg could tell by her tone of voice even if it didn't vary all that often.

"Yes, we would very much like to speak with him." –Starfire

"Don't know where he is. And I don't care. Thanks for the change, um…"

"Cyborg. Cyborg of the Teen Titans."

The homeless guy didn't seem to know or care who Cyborg was because he didn't acknowledge the fact that he had heard the name of their group. Cyborg found this weird because everyone he had met had at least heard of the Teen Titans.

Raven was getting very annoyed with this guy, _'He knows something important…'_

"You know where to find Sonny, don't you?" Raven's question caused the retreating hobo to pause.

"Maybe, what's it to you?"

Cyborg jumped in before Raven could tear the man to pieces with her unchecked anger, "We'll give you more change if you show us where to find Sonny."

The homeless guy didn't take too long in deciding an answer, "Deal. But you gotta show me the goods first."

Raven placed a handful of change from the T-car, using her powers, into the man's extended hand. "Now… Where is Sonny?"

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_I wonder if I have done the right thing. I wonder if sending Spyre, the white wolf, to my former friends was a good idea._

I do not doubt that the message was received. Spyre was trained by his master in the village to deliver messages and letters. I just hope that Slade does not find out what I have done. I hope that the Titans find Sonny before Slade can do any more harm.

_Slade has demanded that I call him 'Master' again. I say it, but I find nothing but hatred connected with it. The name means nothing to me now._

_I never thought I'd say this but, 'Beastboy, I need help…'_

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…In the city…

"But, Robin, we don't even know where to start looking!"

"That's where you come in, Beastboy."

"What do you mean?"

Robin let out a sigh at Beastboy's stupidity, "Can't you use your bloodhound form to track Ria?"

"Oh yeah. But I don't have anything to start with."

Robin got an idea, as he often does. He held up the cord, which had been tied around the white wolf's neck, "Why not try this? Or how about the note? It would have had to tied by her hands, right?"

"That's true…" Beastboy changed to bloodhound form as Robin held the note up to his nose. As soon as he got the scent, Beastboy began sniffing the surrounding area. To Robin, who was watching for a few minutes, it seemed to prove useless.

That was until, Beastboy the bloodhound barked once and took off down a street. Robin started up his R-cycle and followed.

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"It seems that we shall have some company, Apprentice." Slade said as he watched the figures of Robin and Beastboy, now turned cheetah to keep up with the R-cycle, on the widescreen computer. In the far corner of her cage, Ria sat facing away from Slade. She did not respond.

"Or maybe we should test your new-found loyalty." Slade walked to the cage door and looked at the back of Ria's head, "Come and greet our visitors, Apprentice…" Slade knew what torture that name caused her, and he relished in it. It made him smile to learn of this control.

He produced the key to the cage door and slid it into the lock. In the silence of his lair, he turned the key, which made no sound when it turned the mechanics. Slade soundlessly opened the door of the cage and walked smoothly towards Ria's crouching figure at the back.

Upon reaching her form, Slade knelt and turned her face toward his with his left hand, "And this time you shall not fail me… Apprentice…" Slade felt Ria's slight flinch under his hand on her chin. He smiled underneath his mask. _'This is how it should be…'_ he thought.


	8. Eight

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TT**

**Sequel to X's and O's **

**Return**

"Follow me." The homeless man faded into the darkness of a nearby alley. Cyborg, Raven, and Starfire followed dubiously.

"Where is he taking us?" Starfire whispered.

"He's taking us to Sonny. Cyborg, can we have some light?"

"No problem." Cyborg's shoulder light penetrated the darkness of the alley, showing the path of the retreating hobo.

The threesome followed the man down the small alleyway in single file: Starfire in front, followed by Cyborg, then Raven.

"Try not to get too far behind." –Raven

"Yes. You might want to stay close to me." The man they had been following emerged out of a dark corner behind them, causing Starfire to gasp. "You just missed the first turn."

From then on, they were careful not to miss any turns. This proved difficult, however, because the path was a winding and jerky one. It kept twisting and turning until Starfire was thoroughly dizzy.

"Are we there--?" Cyborg was interrupted in mid-sentence by another small gasp from Starfire, "What's wrong, Star?"

"Look…" Starfire pointed ahead of her to a wide, open field, or what was left of one.

"You'll find the kid over there." The man pointed toward some ashy ruins in the distance, which were near a clump of scraggly looking trees. The man disappeared back toward the village, and left the three confused Titans in the field.

"We aren't going to find Sonny standing here. Let's go." Raven started walking briskly toward the ruins.

"Raven, wait up!" Cyborg jogged to keep up with her. Starfire shook her head and flew after them both.

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…After reaching the ruins…

"Sonny? Are you there? Sonny!" Cyborg shouted from the middle of the ruin. His voice carried, probably all the way back into the village. Raven frowned at the volume of Cyborg's voice.

"Sonny, do not hide from us, we wish to be friends!" Starfire shouted even louder when no response from Cyborg's call came. Raven's frown deepened.

"This is pointless. We'll never find Sonny this way," she stated.

"Well, what do you suggest we do, miss smarty… never mind…" Cyborg stopped at the look on Raven's face.

"There's so much ground to cover, why don't we split up? Starfire can fly around in the air, you can go to the left, and I'll go right."

"Excellent idea, Raven! We shall find the boy in the fastest way possible." Starfire took off to fly low over the ruins in search of Sonny.

"If I were a ten year old kid who was just attacked by Slade, where would I hide?"

Raven shook her head at Cyborg, who began his search on the left side of the ruin with this annoying question. She then turned toward the right to begin her search, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos…"

The soul Raven picked up many traces of emotion within the site: fear, horror, surprise, hatred, and betrayal. But the most prominent of all was the emotion of sadness: the sadness of a deep loss. The soul Raven found her emotions of kindness and pity reach out to the one who felt this sadness: Sonny.

_'Sonny… Sonny…we are here to help you…'_

_'Who are you? Why are you here? Leave me alone!'_

_'We need to speak with you…'_

_'We? Who's we?' _

_'My friends and I…'_

_'Are you with him?' _

_'Slade?'_

_'Yes.'_

_'No. We are friends of a friend…'_

_'What friend?'_

_'If you come to see us, we will explain…'_

_'Someone's coming! No! Go away!'_

"Sonny!" Raven was jolted out of her trance to hear a child, somewhere nearby, screaming.

"Rae, what the—

Cyborg and Raven ran towards the source of the screaming, terrified of what they might see. What they saw was Starfire reaching into a hollow alcove high in a tree. The screaming came from in there.

"Star, What are you doing?" Cyborg called up to her.

"I have found the boy. But it seems he is frightened."

"Let me try." Raven levitated to the level of the hollow, and what she saw was a small brown-haired boy of about ten squeezed inside, "Hello, Sonny."

"Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"Don't you remember? I talked to you in your mind."

"You're her?"

"Yes, I am."

"Save me from—

Sonny pointed to Starfire, who was floating in midair behind Raven.

"That is one of my friends I told you about."

"I am called Starfire. And you are called Sonny, yes?"

Sonny nodded slowly in response.

"Do you want to come down from this tree so we can talk?" Raven asked, "I promise my friends and I won't hurt you."

Once on the ground, Sonny asked, "You said you were a friend of a friend. What did you mean?"

"You can call me Raven. We are friends of a friend of yours."

"What friend?"

"Her name is Ria. Do you remember her?"

"Kira… She's gone…"

"Who is Kira?"

"He took her away."

"You mean, Slade took Kira away from you?"

"My dog…my friend…he tried to hurt her."

"Could you tell us about Kira? Maybe we could help you find her."

"She's a black dog. Have you seen her?"

"That sounds a lot like Ria…" Cyborg said.

"Not Ria! Kira! And she's not just a dog! She's my best friend…" Sonny said defensively.

"Did this dog save your life, Sonny?" Raven continued to get Sonny back on track.

"She saved me from him. I think that's why she left…"

"Sonny, we need you to come with us."

"Why?"

"We—think—we found your dog."

"Really?"

"—Yes."

"I'm not sure I should go with you. They wouldn't like it."

"Who wouldn't like it?" Cyborg asked curiously.

Suddenly, the small group at the base of the tree was surrounded by a horde of Slade-bots, with their laser guns pointed at the Titans.

"You had to ask…" –Raven

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**Author's note: Yay! Another cliffy! I'm so proud of myself!**


	9. Nine

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans. **

**If anyone has any clever new ideas on how to **

**type disclaimers, let me know… please! **

**I'm getting bored saying it the same way all the time!**

**Sequel to X's and O's**

**Return**

Robin slowed the R-cycle to a stop.

"Why are we stopping here? The trail keeps going!"

"I can see that from the way you're acting, Beastboy. I just think it would be better if we didn't barge through Slade's front door."

"That's an interesting thought. Considering you won't even make it to the front door."

Both Robin and Beastboy spun around at the sound of Slade's voice.

"Slade!" –Robin

"Hello, Robin. Long time no see."

"What have you done with Ria?" –Beastboy

"Oh. She's standing right next to you." –Slade

Before Beastboy could react, Ria, would had been invisible, kicked him clear across the street.

"Beastboy!" Robin prepared to swing his bow staff, but paused in mid-swing at the look on Ria's face. If anything, she looked sad.

"I am sorry, Robin."

"Ria, you don't have to—

Ria transformed to her wolf form and attacked Robin, which knocked him to the ground. But before she could deliver the killing stroke to Robin's throat, Beastboy, in his wolf form, pounced from the left. This knocked Ria off of Robin. Robin watched the two wolves circle each other for a moment. Then, he turned to face Slade.

"Don't you just love these little reunions, Robin?"

Quickly, Robin produced a bird-a-rang from his belt and flung it in Slade's direction. Slade dodged it with ease, however. But what the villain didn't see coming was a sonic cannon blast from Cyborg.

"Boo-yah!" –Cyborg

"What are you guys doing here?" –Robin.

"Hey, man, it wasn't easy, but—

"Fight now, talk later!" –Raven

"What about Beastboy?" Starfire, who was carrying a small-brown haired boy in her arms, pointed toward where Ria and Beastboy were engaged in fighting.

_'That must be Sonny.'_ Robin thought.

"Look! It's Kira!" The boy pointed towards Ria.

"Kira?" –Robin

"We'll explain later!" –Raven

When Sonny shouted her pet name, both Ria and Slade glanced in Sonny's direction. During this brief moment, Beastboy leapt toward Ria and managed to pin her to a wall.

"Ria, listen to me! Slade can't hurt Sonny any more! We found him. I f you just let me help you, we can—

"I'm sorry. I can't accept your help any longer." Ria disappeared through the wall behind her.

"Ria, come back!" Beastboy was so frustrated he punched the wall where Ria had been.

Sonny ran up to Beastboy, "You hurt her. Why?"

Slade appeared behind them, "Because she's with me now."

Beastboy became angry, and he changed into a green tiger. Not expecting this, Sonny backed up a few steps. Beastboy swung a clawed paw at Slade. He then leapt into a furious battle with Slade.

Since the Titans were busy with Slade and his army of robots, they didn't notice Sonny's disappearance.

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…Elsewhere…

"Where are you taking me?"

"You should not be here."

"Why not?"

"I cannot explain."

After pulling his hand free from Ria's grasp, Sonny demanded, "Why did you let Mommy die?"

Ria did not know what to say to this.

"Now I'm alone…" Sonny whispered.

'_You don't know what its lie to be alone your whole life…'_ Ria thought.

"I don't get any of this!" Ria opened her mouth to answer, but Sonny continued, "First, we get attacked. Next, Mommy gets killed for no reason. Then, these people bring me here! What is going on?"

"Sonny, I---Please don't---He will hear---He will not stop until they are dead…"

"Who?"

"Those people who brought you here… they used to be my friends…"

"But Raven said—

"Raven said what?"

"She said that--that you were still friends… Starfire told me that they brought me here so that we could—

"Could what?"

"So we could… help you…"

"I don't need their help. I'm sorry, Sonny. So sorry…" And Ria disappeared from view.


	10. Ten

**Disclaimer: I do not own TT**

**Sequel to X's and O's**

**Return**

_There is no hope for me now. There is no turning back. I cannot be helped. There is no way to escape Slade. The collar prevents it. But that does not mean that I cannot have some time alone. I just need to find the farthest place to hide. And to think…_

_I run. I know not where, but I follow my feet. Eventually I find myself at Titan's Tower. Why, I do not know. I then find myself in my old room, picking up my guitar and leaving the Tower…_

_Without thinking, I am running outside of town, until I can run no more. I am at the edge of the sea, on a steep hill. I fall to my knees with my guitar at my side. I look at it. It is still shiny, but it does not look or seem the same way it did seven years before. Something in me longs to touch those strings again…_

_I sit on a nearby rock with the guitar on my knee. I suddenly don't know what to play. I once knew many songs, but those days are gone, and I cannot remember one of them. I wonder if I even remember how to play this instrument. I sit there. I cannot bring myself to play… The words will not come… Not even my own words… Just a long note…_

_Before I know what I am doing, I drop the guitar. I feel the wolf inside clawing and biting its way free. It is more painful this time because I am not the one causing this pain. It comes from the scar of the stabbing seven years ago. What has Slade done to me?…_

_I can no longer hold back the werewolf. It does not feel like my normal self. The pain is more than words can describe…_

_I am now the monster… I turn to the guitar lying on the grass… Then, without thinking, I tear it apart… my teeth rip through the gorgeous strings… They make a strange sound when they snap… The neck of the wooden instrument is the next piece gone with a loud "SNAP!"---But strangely, the sound is almost like the voice of Beastboy, "Ria!"…_

_Then I realize that I really do hear his voice calling, "Ria! I'm here!"_

_By now the pain is so great in my stomach where the scar is that it feels as though the pain is all over… I cannot even bear to see him… I stagger to the edge… I cannot take it anymore…_

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Beastboy couldn't comprehend what he was seeing. Ria was in her wolf form tearing her guitar apart.

"Ria, What's happening to you? I'm here!" Beastboy tried to get close to her, but could only touch her back before she pulled away. In that instant, he knew something was wrong. Besides the fact that Ria had just destroyed her guitar, Beastboy had felt the temperature of her skin. She had felt hot and clammy. He hadn't seen anything like that since… _'The poison! It's killing her!'_ he thought.

He stood there dumbly, until he noticed the direction Ria was staggering: _'The cliff!'_

"Ria stop! Let me help you!" Beastboy started forward, but a hand on his wrist pulled him back.

"There is nothing you can do now…" Slade's voice was anything but sympathetic or sorry for what was happening right before their eyes.

"You monster!" Beastboy took a swing at Slade's face with his free right hand, but Slade stopped it.

"It's over now. She will never like you or your friends. And you will never see her alive again."

"You're wrong!" Beastboy tore his hands free and turned to run toward Ria.

"Foolish boy…" Slade said as he produced a pistol from his belt and slowly loaded it.

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"Where have our friends gone? I wish to know now, please!" Starfire lamented for the billionth time.

Currently, the Titans had defeated Slade's whole army of robots without a single sign of Beastboy or Ria. They hadn't seen Slade since he was hit by Cyborg's sonic cannon blast. They searched everywhere to find Beastboy, Ria, and Sonny, whom had also disappeared from view during the battle.

"Raven! Raven!" Sonny, appearing from a side alley, ran to Raven

"Sonny, where—

"Kira and your other friend are in trouble!"

"Sonny, where are they?" Robin knelt in front of Sonny and placed both his hands on the boy's shoulders.

"Outside the city, I think. I saw him go that way."

"Who? Slade?"

"Yeah."

"Cyborg, you and I will go with Sonny in the T-car. Star and Raven, find Beastboy and Ria as fast as you can by air. And if you run into Slade---let us know."


	11. Eleven

**Disclaimer: I do not own the TT. **

**I seriously need some new disclaimer ideas…. **

**Argh!**

**Sequel to X's and O's**

**Return**

_I cannot stand the pain any longer. I feel weak. _

_I feel—_

_No words – _

_Just sounds—_

_Wolf cry_

_Hardly mine_

_Beastboy_

_Ocean_

_Sky_

_Music_

_Pain_

_Alone_

_Stories_

_Walk away_

_Memories_

_Blood_

_Fire_

_Water_

_Mask_

_Collar_

_Run_

_Fall_

_Stumble_

_Be_

_Never_

_Love_

_Hate_

_Joy_

_Sorrow_

_Tears_

_Mine—mine? … _

_Jump_

_Fly_

_Fall_

_Fall? … Why? …_

_I_

_Sigh_

_High_

_Need_

_Night_

_Day_

_You_

_Teeth_

_Laugh_

_Love… help? …_

_Be_

_See_

_Smell_

_Live_

_Die_

_None_

_But_

_Me…_

_Nothingness…_

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"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven shouted as she saw Slade raise the gun. _'Is that the same gun from seven years before?'_ she thought.

Slade's eye(s) widened as he felt the gun snap in two right in his hand from Raven's powers. He heard Raven shout again, "Starfire, wait!" Before he could turn around and defend himself, he was hit hard from behind by, possibly a starbolt. The force of the blow flung Slade forward. He hit Beastboy, who hit Ria, and all three of them were flung over the edge of the cliff.

After a moment's terror and surprise, Beastboy quickly changed into a pterodactyl. He then grabbed Ria in mid-fall, with his feet. But he was suddenly jerked by some added extra weight. He glanced down and beheld Slade hanging from one of Ria's paws. Beastboy squawked in frustration and began flying in strange patterns in order to throw Slade off.

When this proved useless, Beastboy flapped his wings harder. It was tiring, but he started to lift them slowly up towards the top of the cliff. Just when he thought he wasn't going to make it, a cord dropped out of the sky. Beastboy recognized it as Robin's grapple. It wrapped around Beastboy, pulling his wings in. The group dropped about ten feet before the rope became taut. The others were pulling them up. _'C'mon guys! I don't think Ria will last any longer!'_

Starfire floated over the edge and spotted them. She gasped at the sight of Slade. "Beastboy!" Starfire gave one giant tug on the rope and the group at the end of it was flung up and over the edge.

As the rope slackened, Beastboy snapped his wings open, which caused the rope to break. While they were in the air, Cyborg whipped around and aimed his cannon at Slade. But before he could fire, the three in the air fell toward the ground, even with Beastboy struggling to keep them up. Slade managed to pull Ria from Beastboy's grasp and flung her body a short distance away. Raven automatically used her powers to catch Ria's body before it fell with the sickening thud she knew would come. Sonny ran out of the T-car, where Robin had told him to stay, towards the wolf on the ground.

"Raven, check on Ria! Titans go!" –Robin

Beastboy knew he should help Robin, Starfire and Cyborg with Slade, but, to him, helping Ria was the most important thing on his mind right now. He flew towards where Sonny and Raven knelt by Ria, and transformed back to human form.

The moment she got a closer look at Ria, Raven knew she didn't have much time. Sonny began to cradle Ria's head in his lap, "Kira…"

Beastboy appeared beside her, "Raven! Is she going to be okay?"

Raven didn't want to answer that, so she turned back to assessing Ria's health. Raven placed her right hand on Ria's forehead and her left on Ria's neck, right over the carotid artery. As soon as her hands were in place, images flooded into Raven's mind. Images that she hadn't seen for seven years…

_'Raven saw herself in the med-lab next to Ria. Suddenly, Ria started to have seizure. Raven tried to call the others. But her voice was silent. Then, suddenly, Raven saw herself, her friends, and Ria in a hospital room. A doctor said that Ria was going to—_

Raven didn't know that she had gasped until Beastboy spoke, "Raven, are you okay? What's—

"Don't touch me." Raven snapped as Beastboy reached toward her shoulder.

Beastboy backed off, "Is Ria okay?"

"I…don't…know…" Raven whispered.

"How could you not know? Please tell me you're joking."

Raven looked at Sonny, who had stopped stroking Ria at the start of the conversation, and was now currently staring at Raven with pleading eyes. She did not know what to say to Beastboy. Raven now knew that the dream was not just a dream… It was the future… and it was going to happen… But did she want it to happen? …

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**Author's note: dun…dun…DUH! What's going to happen? I don't know yet! I have yet to write that part! You, reader(s), will just have to wait and see. As of now, I am going to pause this story and go update some of my other work. Then, I'll come back. But that all depends on how much better I made this story. Reviews would be appreciated! Write to you all later! Bye!**


	12. Twelve

DISCLAIMER: I never owned the Teen Titans, and I still don't! If anything thinks other wise… DIE! (Not really, just kidding!)

Return

Chapter 12:

Slade had gotten away, again. Robin knew he should be frustrated, but he couldn't be. Not right now anyway. Not with Ria in her condition. Cyborg had gone right back to his room after getting back to the Tower and seeing that Ria was okay in the med-lab. He had said that he had a prototype of the antidote that he needed to test. Cyborg hadn't come back yet.

Raven had looked unusually pale when she told him how Ria was doing. Robin knew there was something she was hiding. He couldn't put his finger on it though, but he was sure it had something to do with Ria. But nothing could compare to Sonny's feelings, which Robin could see behind the kid's stoic expression. (tears...) Robin knew what it meant to lose your family.

Even Starfire was acting strangely after the rescue. Every day, once she got up, Starfire would visit the med-lab to check on their patient. She was also becoming increasingly somber over a few hours time. Robin noticed that it had been taking a toll on her mentally and physically as well. Starfire always used to eat a lot at every meal, but since Ria had returned, Starfire had seemed to lose her appetite frequently. For the past day, Starfire had only had some of Raven's herbal tea, which was surprising. Robin hadn't seen her drink so much of the stuff before.

At night, Robin walked past her room and thought he heard her crying. He knocked on the door. The crying stopped and Star appeared in the doorway, "Hello, friend Robin. I hope you are doing well?"

Robin could see that what he had heard was true because Starfire's face was red and her hair slightly disheveled. Even though she was smiling he had to ask her if she was okay, "Starfire, are you okay? I heard you crying and—

Starfire's fake smile fell apart, and she began to crush Robin into a hug that is her trademark, "Oh Robin! What are we going to do! Cyborg has said that Ria has not been so well. He has said that he and Raven have been trying so hard to keep her well enough to live! They do not think that--- Oh, I cannot bear to think of what might happen to our friend!"

Robin pulled himself from Starfire's grasp and began to comfort her: "Starfire—We're doing everything we can to make sure that Ria lives one more day… Cyborg is working his hardest on the antidote. He'll make sure that Ria will be fine." Robin said these words but he wasn't sure if he believed them himself.

Starfire gave a small smile, "Thank you, Robin. I feel much the better for your words." Starfire went back into her room to clean up and closed her door, leaving Robin standing outside her door.

On his way to the med-lab to check on Ria, Robin passed by Beastboy's room. The door was closed so he stared at the name written there in its bold letters. Robin's brow furrowed in thought and concern for his green friend. _'I wonder how he is? I haven't seen him since we came back from the battle with Slade…'_ For a second, Robin considered knocking on Beastboy's door as well, when he thought twice and decided not to, _'I better not. I might actually find him with Ria…'_

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**Meanwhile… Elsewhere in the Tower…**

Raven reached for a book on her shelf. She couldn't touch it, so she used her powers to bring it down, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." The book glowed and floated down into her hand. Once she released it from her power, Raven carried the book with her over to her bed. She sat cross-legged in the center with the book in her lap.

This particular book appeared to be one of the oldest on her shelf. It did not even have the title written across the black leathery cover. It was just too dusty to read the title anyway. Raven blew the covering of dust from the book and almost choked on the floating particles. She coughed once or twice to be sure that she wouldn't. Still no title was ledge-able on the cover of the book. Raven, however, knew what each of her books contained and this particular one would help her decipher her vision.

Raven promptly opened the book and searched the contents of the first chapter. Not finding what she looked for, she flipped through the pages of the second chapter, _'This could take a while…'_ she thought.

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**Author's note: I was going to write more for this chapter but I decided to save it all for chapter thirteen. I hope you are enjoying this story, but I don't know that you are. I won't know for sure until you review! (please … I ask nicely … please?)**


	13. Thirteen

_**Author's note: **_

_**Hey peoples! How's life treating you all? Just thought I'd finally post chapter 13 of Return, even though it does not seem to be all that popular… But I'm getting along just fine here at college, in case you all were wondering with my prolonged absence. I have reached the end of finals week for the first semester! YAYS! I just have one left to take… then… It's… I'll be home for Christmas!**_

_Anyways… I'm not sure if I'll be update for about another month or so because if the weather is bad, my mom won't be able to drive up here to pick me up (college freshmen aren't allowed to have cars on campus... grrrr...). Which would make me very depressed… so I will try to write some more for my other stories while at home in lovely, cold New Jersey._

_**So… Here's Chapter 13 of Return! (Finally…)**_

**Return **

**Chapter 13:**

**Raven's Room…**

Somewhere in the middle of the thirteenth chapter, Raven found what she was looking for. This particular chapter contained interpretations and or symbolic values of visions and or nightmares.

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**Med lab…**

From where he was sitting, Beastboy stared at the prone form of Ria on the bed. _'How could this have happened?'_ he asked himself. _'If only I had known… Ria… why didn't you tell me?'_ Beastboy looked down at his hands placed in his lap at the moment. He recalled the way Ria had acted earlier. The way she had been ripping apart her guitar with her teeth and claws… She had almost become a monster, or a werewolf of some sort. Why? _'She wouldn't have been able to tell me if it was that bad…'_

_'Damn you, Slade! Why can't you just leave Ria alone?'_

A hissing sound caused Beastboy to look up and out of his thoughts. As the door slid open, Robin entered with Cyborg.

"But what if it does more to kill her than help her?"

"I told you! It's the only thing left to do. Even though it's not exactly perfect, we've got to at least try it!"

"Is the antidote ready?" Beastboy's voice startled Robin and Cyborg out of their "intellectual" argument. Cyborg appeared hesitant to say anything in response. Robin's masked eyes just glanced in Beastboy's direction, then back to Cyborg, waiting for him to answer.

"Well, B… You see… the thing is… It's not exactly finished…"

"What do you mean: "not exactly finished"?"

"That's exactly what I asked." Robin put in.

"Well, most of the tests I've been running on blood samples from Ria have shown positive results, but—

"Cyborg thinks that there may be a small chance that Ria might die from the antidote."

"What!"

"I personally don't want to risk Ria's life for an antidote that may kill her rather than save her… But Robin thinks…"

"I think that if there's a better chance that she might live, then we should give it a shot."

Beastboy stood up from his chair so fast that he almost knocked it over, "Even if there's a good chance that we can save her, we've got to try!" Beastboy pleaded.

"But the one test I ran… the blood inside the vial boiled into a black color and then exploded!"

Shocked, Beastboy remained silent for a moment. Then, he collapsed back into the chair resignedly.

"That's exactly why I don't think it's a good idea to use this prototype."

After recovering, Robin looked at Ria's body on the med-lad bed, "Well, since you put it that way, Cyborg, maybe it's not such a good idea to use this antidote. But it may be a sign that we're getting closer to the real antidote."

Cyborg nodded, "I'll keep working on it." With that, Cyborg exited the med-lab.

Beastboy still hadn't recovered from the shock of the news by the time Cyborg had left. He sat with his head in his hands. Robin approached from the side and placed a hand on Beastboy's shoulder in comfort, "Everything okay?"

There was a short moment of silence before Beastboy's muffled voice whispered from within his hands, "I can't believe this…"

Robin, not being able to hear Beastboy's soft voice, asked, "What?"

"How could this have happened?"

"Speak up, Beastboy. I can't underst---

Beastboy's hands slipped from his face and ran back through his hair, "I mean, he should have finished the antidote by now. He had seven years to finish it!"

"Making an antidote for a poison he's never seen before with someone of Ria's DNA is not easy, Beastboy."

"I know! But it should be done by now!" Beastboy pointed at Ria's form on the bed, "Just look at her, Robin! She's dying now! Even worse than back then!"

Robin closed his eyes and sighed, "I know… But all we can do now is wait until Cyborg completes the antidote."

"She may not even live till then." A familiar voice said from the doorway behind Robin.


	14. Fourteen

Author's Note: Sorry for the ABNORMALLY LONG WAIT! I just have not thought about Return in so long that I quite almost forgot about it and left it to drift into the abyss of my creative mind. But anyway, here I am back from first semester Sophmore year of college for Christmas/New Year's Break. So I thought I'd get to writing some stories that need finishing/updating as a nice present to all you readers! I hope to fulfill that expectation for all of the stories I have neglected since the summertime. Anyway, here's CHAPTER 14 of RETURN… and I will start you off with a nice disclaimer!

**Disclaimer: The only characters I don't own are the Titans, Slade, and anyone else related to the show and such. Any other character that would not ordinarily appear in the series is entirely fictional and does not represent anyone or anything. (I've just always wanted to write a disclaimer based on the ones for Law and Order…)**

**Return**

**CHAPTER 14**

"She may not even live till then," Raven's voice said from the doorway behind Robin.

"What did you say?"

Raven ignored Beastboy's seemingly pointless question and placed a gigantic book on the windowsill. "I think you should have a look at this, Robin."

Robin stood next to Raven and leaned in to read the open page of the huge book she was pointing at. The title at the top read:

"Divination? Raven, what does this have to do with Ria's condition?" Robin asked.

Raven sighed inwardly before saying, "I had a vision."

"What kind of vision?"

She rolled her eyes underneath her hood, "A vision of the future, which is why I'm showing you this." Raven indicated the obscenely large textbook, "As soon as I had the same vision again, I remembered I had read this particular section in this book, but for some reason I couldn't remember the name of the book."

"Wait a minute! Did you just say you've had this vision before, Raven?"

"I had this same one about… seven years ago… maybe earlier…"

Both Robin and Beastboy were shocked that she had kept this particular vision a secret. They knew Raven had kept many secrets from the entire team before, but never when it mattered the most. Like right now. "Raven! Why didn't you mention this back then?"

Raven ignored this as well and continued, "All I can tell you is that, according to this article, this vision does not show a particularly happy ending for Ria."

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Sonny sat at the kitchen table in the Titan's Tower common room. He stared down at the "food" Starfire had placed in front of him. He wasn't quite sure what it was, but what he definitely knew was: he did not want to eat it. Not only because it did not look at all appetizing, but also because he could not find his appetite in order to actually eat his "meal."

"You should eat, small Sonny." Starfire said as she leaned forward across her own plate of alien food, "It is good, and good for your weary body."

Sonny looked up from the plate in front of him and into Starfire's worried face, "I'm not hungry," he whispered.

Starfire started then said, "But you must eat. You—

"Star! You can't feed him that!" Cyborg shouted as he approached from the kitchen area with his plate of normal breakfast foodstuffs. Cyborg ran back into the kitchen and grabbed another plate out of the cabinet, "What would you like to eat, kid? I can make 'ya anything you want! Just name it!"

Sonny stared back down at the food Starfire had made him and said, just a little bit louder, "I'm not hungry though."

Cyborg's jaw dropped open, "Not hungry? How can you not be hungry? A growing kid like you needs some real food! So how about it, kid? I'll whip you up some scrambled eggs, some bacon and toast?"

"Cyborg, I do not think that--" Starfire tried to interject, but was interrupted.

"No thanks."Sonny said as he pushed the full plate of alien food away from him and left the table, leaving Cyborg and an even more worried Starfire.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

_'Raven saw herself in the med-lab next to Ria. Suddenly, Ria started to have seizure. Raven tried to call the others. But her voice was silent. Then, suddenly, Raven saw herself, her friends, and Ria in a hospital room. A doctor said that Ria was going to…'_

A pause passed between them as Robin thought for a few seconds. Then, "Have you been hiding this vision from us since Ria left?" Robin asked.

Underneath the small section of darkness that her hood provided, Raven closed her eyes and nodded in response.

"So, do you really believe what this vision is telling you?"

Raven hesitated slightly before answering because she was not completely certain how to answer Robin's question. Her visions hadn't been wrong… yet. "I can't say for sure whether or not what the book says is true."

Robin gave the slightest of sidelong glances, which was just barely perceptible to the human eye. "Well, if the visions haven't been wrong yet, and you're absolutely positive… Maybe we should keep a closer eye on Ria. I'll also tell Cyborg to step up on his progress with the antidote."

"Robin?"

"Yes, Raven?"

"Should we… I mean, what about…?"

"What?"

"I don't think we should tell Beastboy or Sonny about this. Especially Beastboy."

"I agree."

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

_I look up into his masked face… The taste of blood… red blood…_

_Master's single visible eye narrows in anger… his blood simmering…_

_"You did not do as I asked. For this you shall pay…"_

_The glint of Slade's knife as he pulls out a knife hidden within his belt…_

_"Apprentice! STOP! Where are you going!? Stand and fight!"…_

_Master rises from his chair and walks toward me… I turn and…_

_"Her name is Ria. And she is my creation."_

_"What do you mean creation? What is this girl! What are you planning!"_

_"You will find out soon enough"…_

_A sharp pain from just below my ribs as Slade slid in the extended knife…_

_'You can be free… You don't need him…'_

_The green boy's blood?_

_"Ria… I love you…"_

_... Some of it drips down my leg and leaves a dark trail of dots along the ground… But it is more than just on my leg… it is spreading…_

_Red X stares at me as I look at my blood stained left hand… _

_Master stands over me. My blood is on my hand… _

_"I am sorry… I cannot trust anyone anymore. Not even myself."…_

_Master pushes my head into the dust…_

_"Ria, you've got to let me help you—_

_I open my eyes to the dark room with Master sitting in his chair. I rise up and sit on the edge of the table. I know what is coming. _

_"Let us test her… to see what she can do." All shall die. _

_They try to run. I catch the first and see the look of horror on his face as I sink my fangs into his vulnerable throat. I taste his warm blood gush into my mouth and run down my snout. Then I begin to rip and tear through his flesh as he gurgles a scream… The adrenaline rushes through my body as I devour his flesh. It takes me a while to find his throat. And when I do, I hold on tight. His body jerks and thrashes until suddenly, it stops. He is dead. I let out a savage howl over the body of the dead man with blood running through my black coat---_

I awake with a start from my nightmare. The Sonny is staring at me from where he sits at the end of the bed. I look at him and say, "What—why are you here?" He doesn't say anything in response and he turns his head quickly away to look out the window. I look up at the ceiling, "You are mad at me. I can only guess at the reason why." Still, the boy decides to say nothing.

We stay like this for what seems like forever. When I suddenly find myself saying: "I remember what you said. About getting bad dreams." I pause before going on, "You said that everyone has them and that you just have to say that it is just a dream. Well, I just had another one. And its almost like – I've had this dream be—

"Mommy told me that." Sonny said quietly.

"Oh."

"Why did you let Mommy die?"

I am surprised. I do not know what to say.

Sonny turns frantically back to face me again, "No! I want to know! I want to know now! And why are you sick? Your friends won't tell me anything!"

"Sonny I… I cannot… I cannot tell you—

"But why?!"

"I just cannot."

"I don't get it! I hate you!" Sonny shouted as he ran from the room.

"Wait, Sonny, I—I just don't want to--" I shouted after him. The door to the room slammed behind him, "…hurt you…"

I heard a small buzzing sound to my right. And then Beastboy's voice: "You should just tell him what happened."

"You heard all that?"

"Actually, yeah. I heard someone in here so I snuck in."

I closed my eyes against the pain.

"Why won't you tell him? Don't you think he has a kind of right to know?"

I gasped slightly as I tried to sigh, "How would you know what needs to know and what he shouldn't know?"

"Okay. Okay. No need to be all defensive about it." When he said that I realized I had snapped at him. I had not intended to...

One thought ran through my mind as the pain became too much for me anymore, 'I'm sorry...'

I don't remember anymore after that.

**Author's Note: I know this chapter was slightly depressing for this holiday season, but I think the next chapter will be slightly happier! Well, anyway, I hope you all enjoyed Chapter 14. Please read on until the end! Thanks for all your support! –-HOWLS!-- riawolf**


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